there's something elementally unnerving about the sort of unrestrained jouissance that clowns represent. I'm not quite willing to say it's universal, but we go way out of our way to set limits to enjoyment, pleasure, happiness, joy—and you don't have to agree with me, but this doesn't strike me as absurd. Every primal force is terrible. At some point silliness and happiness and fun and joy start to transgress itself and display its horror...